How to Create A Word Document in C#

Microsoft Word files are widely used for document creation and editing, making them a fundamental part of many business applications. In C# development, the ability to generate and manipulate MS Word documents programmatically is crucial. One powerful tool for achieving this is the IronWord library, which provides a comprehensive set of features for working with Word files in C#.

Microsoft also provides a developer tutorial to automate Microsoft Word Documents using Visual C#. In this article, we are going to explore how to create a Word Document in C# using IronWord - a powerful C# Word Document Library.

How to Create Word Documents in C#

1. Create a C# project in Visual Studio
2. Install IronWord Library
3. Create a WordDocument object
4. Add content using the AddText method
5. Add the text Paragraph to the WordDocument object
6. Save to DOCX File using the SaveAs method

IronWord Library

The IronWord library is a robust C# DOCX library developed by Iron Software. It offers an intuitive API for building, editing, and exporting Word documents without the need to install Microsoft Office or Word Interop. With support for various .NET versions and platforms, IronWord simplifies the process of working with Word files in different environments.

IronWord works even without installing the Word app. Microsoft Word Interop is not required to create a Word Doc.

Features of IronWord

Cross-Platform Support

IronWord is designed to run on C#, F#, and VB.NET, supporting .NET 8, 7, 6, 5, Core, Standard, or Framework. It is versatile enough to be utilized in web, mobile, desktop, and console applications.

Document Structure Manipulation

IronWord provides a rich set of features for manipulating document structure, including reading and editing Word files. Developers can extract text and images, edit page setup, set custom margins, and add paragraphs, text runs, images, shapes, and tables.

Styling and Formatting

The library allows developers to set styling for various elements, such as font family and size, color, bold, italic, strikethrough, underline, superscript, and subscript. Additionally, it supports the customization of alignments, background color, and bullet/numbering lists.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

IronWord is compatible with various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android, making it a versatile solution for a wide range of applications.

Setting Up the Environment

To begin, open Visual Studio, and you'll see the welcome screen.

1. Create a New .NET Framework Console Application

Click on "Create a new project." Search for "Console App (.NET Framework)," select it from the list, and click "Next." Name your project and click "Create." Visual Studio will set up a new .NET Framework console application with a basic template, including a Main method as the entry point.

2. Install IronWord Using the NuGet Package Manager

In Visual Studio, navigate to the "Tools" menu, select "NuGet Package Manager," and then "Manage NuGet Packages for Solution." In the NuGet window, go to the "Browse" tab, type "IronWord" in the search box, and hit enter. Select the package from the results, ensure your console application project is checked on the right, and click "Install." This will add the necessary references for using IronWord within your C# application. Now you’re ready to begin creating Word documents with IronWord.

Using Package Manager Console:

Run the following command in the Package Manager Console:

Install-Package IronWord

Steps to Create a Word Document

Now that IronWord is installed, you can use the library to create a Word document.

1. Importing IronWord Namespace:

using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;

using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;

Imports IronWord
Imports IronWord.Models

These lines import the IronWord and IronWord.Models namespaces, allowing you to use classes and functionalities from the IronWord library in your C# code.

2. Creating a Word Document Instance:

WordDocument doc = new WordDocument();

WordDocument doc = new WordDocument();

Dim doc As New WordDocument()

Here, a new instance of the WordDocument class is created. This represents an empty Word document that you can start adding content to.

3. Adding Content to the Document: The following sample code adds text to the document object:

doc.AddText("Add text using IronWord");

doc.AddText("Add text using IronWord");

doc.AddText("Add text using IronWord")

This line adds a paragraph to the Word document with the text "Add text using IronWord". The AddText method is a convenient way to insert textual content into the document.

4. Saving the Document:

doc.SaveAs("output.docx");

doc.SaveAs("output.docx");

doc.SaveAs("output.docx")

After adding content to the document, you use the SaveAs method to save the Word document to a file. In this case, it saves the document with the filename "output.docx" in the project directory.

The above steps will create a new Word document, add a paragraph with text, and save the document with the specified filename.

Here's the complete source code:

using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a new Word document
        WordDocument doc = new WordDocument();

        // Add text to the document
        doc.AddText("Add text using IronWord");

        // Save the document to a file
        doc.SaveAs("output.docx");
    }
}

using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a new Word document
        WordDocument doc = new WordDocument();

        // Add text to the document
        doc.AddText("Add text using IronWord");

        // Save the document to a file
        doc.SaveAs("output.docx");
    }
}

Imports IronWord
Imports IronWord.Models

Friend Class Program
	Shared Sub Main()
		' Create a new Word document
		Dim doc As New WordDocument()

		' Add text to the document
		doc.AddText("Add text using IronWord")

		' Save the document to a file
		doc.SaveAs("output.docx")
	End Sub
End Class

Overall, this code demonstrates the basic steps to create a Word document using the IronWord library. You instantiate a WordDocument object, add content to it (in this case, a simple paragraph), and then save the document to a file. That's it! Document created successfully.

This is a straightforward example, and you can extend it to include more complex document structures, formatting, and additional content based on your application's requirements.

For more code examples on how to create, read, and edit existing Word documents, please visit this code examples page.

Output

Upon running the program, a Word document named "output.docx" will be generated in the project directory. You can open this document to see the added content.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the significance of creating Microsoft Word files in C# applications and introduced the IronWord library as a powerful solution for working with Word documents. We covered its features, the process of setting up a C# console project in Visual Studio, and steps to install and utilize IronWord to create Word documents. With IronWord, developers can seamlessly integrate Word document generation capabilities into their C# applications, enhancing their document processing capabilities.

For more detailed information about IronWord and its capabilities, please visit its official documentation page.

IronWord is free for development purposes and can be licensed for commercial use. However, it also offers a free trial to test out its complete functionality in commercial mode before making a decision.